Spray drying dimethylolurea



Feb.17,194s. H, M, um mL- 2,436,355

SPRAvY ADHYING DIMETHYLOLUREA l Filed June 5, 1946 INVENTORS Patented Feb. 17, 1948 SPRAY DRYING DMETHYLOLUREA Henry M. Cadet, Greenville, and William B.

. Clark. Wilmington, Del., asslgnors to E. I. du

Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation o! Delaware Application June 5, 194s, serial No. 674,617

This invention relates to a process for the economical production of dry, stable dimethylolurea and more particularly to an improved process of obtainingsuch a product by spray dryingrfi -v Itis known that urea and formaldehyde react ,l exothermically in water to `form simple vaddition compounds. Under certain circumstances the reaction proceeds further to give resinous substancesn In the absenceof resiniiication, the

reaction is reversible, the formation of dimethyli* olurea being represented by this equation.

, H n l 1li-H blz-calca d=o+2nono n =o 1li-n `N-cmon The reaction rate is dependent largely upon the -pH of the solution and to a lesser extent upon the' temperature and concentration. High temperatures, acid pH or strongly alkaline pH speed the reaction but also induce resinication so that if no resin formation is desired, consideration must be given to both effects when choos- Y ing reaction conditions. Furthermore, dissociation of dimethylolurea to urea and formaldehyde, is favored by high temperatures so that the dual reaction temperature should be low to obtain highest conversion.

Full'compliance with proper conditions gives a product, essentially dimethylolurea, containing appreciable quantities of water which tends to render the product less stable, i. e., a product that does not remain water-soluble when stored at normal temperatures. As the dry product is much more' stable it is most advantageous to convert the wet product to the dry, more stable form. Due to the instability of dimethylolurea at only slightly elevated temperatures considerable difcultyhas been encountered in attempts made to dry it. Spray-drying oers the possibility of evaporating the water while subjecting the dimethylolurea to elevated temperature for only a brief moment. However, it has been found that unless the urea-formaldehyde addition prod-- uct is prepared in a particular form and unless a specially designed spray-drier is employed, the spray-dried product adheres tenaciously to in-4 side surfaces of the spray-tower and ductwork so that it cannot be readily discharged before it, overheats and forms undesirable products.

An object of the present invention is to pro- Y vide a. process for obtaining dry dimethylolurea insoluble substances. y

provide conditions of temperature and pH ysuch` s claims. (ci. ecol-553) 2 powder of good stability. Another object of the invention is to convert the reaction product of urea and formaldehyde to a form which upon spray drying give a water-soluble, very stable dimethylolurea substantially :free from water- Still ,another object is to that substantially no resinous substances are formed before or. after spray drying. A `further object is to provide an aqueous solution of cli-y methylolurea which givesa free flowing powder upon spray drying. A further object of the invention is to prepare the addition product of v about twomolesof formaldehyde and about one mole of urea in a form which is spray drlable. Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

According to the ndings on which the application is based, the spray-drying of dimethylolurea is made possible by preparing it in a form which will, upon losing moisture, solidify rapidly in the drier to a non-sticky powder. The conditions under which dimethylolurea is synthesized from urea and formaldehyde have an irriportant bearing upon its suitability for spraydrying. Products obtained from the condensation of urea with formaldehyde have been spray dried but these products have been made by effecting the condensation reaction under such conditions that the monomeric dimethylolurea rst formed is polymerized prior to spray drying. The urea-formaldehyde condensation reaction has been conducted under alkaline and acid pH conditions but in either event the product was not, as initially formed, in such avcondition that it could be successfully spray dried. By adjusting the pH of the product to the acid side and heating after adjustment, or by heating the product of the reaction carried out on the acid side, products were obtained which could be spray dried. The heating step under acid conditions-results in polymerization giving not monomerio dimethylolurea but polymers thereof.

In contradistinction tosuch processes, appliu r cants have provided a process whereby the ureaformaldehyde condensation is conducted wholly under alkaline conditions and the product spray dried is likewise under alkaline conditions such that substantially no polymeric forms of the dimethylolurea are produced. Consequently applicants have provided for the first time a spray dried dimethylolurea in monomeric form. This is of considerable importance for when this product is used in subsequent reactions, it is essential to know for accurate control of ultimate product composition what form the dimethylolurea is in. The products of theprior art. due to treatment under acid conditions are not'monomeric products and cannot, .therefore, be considered pure [chemical compounds but on the contrary are .Hpolymeric materials oi',4 by and large, indeterminable composition. Applicants` product is monomeric dimethylolurea, a chemical entity which willact as such when used in chemical rewhich will permit as complete reaction as pos-` sible between the urea and formaldehyde thereby giving high melting point products. Any process for synthesiz'ng dimethylolurea which will meet these conditions may be used suchas the following:

F/U 1 mole ratio, Lilli-2.20, preferably 2.05.

pH, 7.0-9.0. preferablv 8.0.

Temperature, below 90 C.. preferably below 50 C.

Reaction time, dependent upon temp., preferably 6 hrs.

Buffer concentration. 0.0001-0.01 part by wtJpart of formaldehyde. preferably 0.001 part by wt./ part of formaldehyde. A

Suitable buffers, boric acid, triethanol amine, Triton B," tetraethylol ammonium hydroxide.

In order to obtain a sufficiently high melting product (low melting point products being dim' cultly sprayable) it is important to observe synthesis conditions which will permit essentially complete reaction. The presence of unreacted formaldehyde `in the feed to the drier has been found to result in lower melting product, presuman alkali metal or an alkaline earth metalr hydroxide or carbonate. The reaction between the formaldehyde and urea. for optimum production of spray-driable dimethylolurea requires o. temperature below 50 C.. and a reaction time oi from 4 to 6 hours to give yields in the order of 90%, or more of the urea and formaldehyde to dimethylolurea. lis an example of a preferred methodof preparation, 200 pounds of 37% formaldehyde buffered with 33.8 grams of boric acid and adjusted to a pH of about 8.0 with 150 cc. of 10% sodium hydroxide are reacted with 72 pounds of crystal urea at a temperature below 45 C. Heat may be applied during the reaction if necessary.

In a simplified process involving synthesis in the presence of excess formaldehyde, removal of most of the excess formaldehyde by ash distillation, and crystallization to a slurry, the crystallization period can be used to effect additional conversion. Thus, a reaction mixture having a formaldehyde to urea mole ratio of only slightly more than 2.0 and containing %60% water can be reacted adiabatically under the previously described conditions until more than 90% of the urea and formaldehyde have been converted to dimethylolurea: the reaction mixture can then be cooled below C. at which temperature additional reaction will take place slowly. After a period of about 8 hours at 35 C. less than 3.7% and preferably less than 2%95 of the original formaldehyde based on the weight of dlmethylolurea is unreacted and the resulting slurry can be spray-dried.

gg A principal feature of the invention. which may be characterized as conditioning of the product. resulting in the production of dry stable dimethylolurea involves cooling the product ad- .lltcd to a pH between I and 9 and preferably below 8.5 from the urea-formaldehyde reaction ably because of the increased solubility of dimethylolurea in the residual formaldehyde-water mixture. The presence of unreacted urea or monomethylolurea in the dimethylolurea feed has been found to result also in a lower-melting product. The proportion of formaldehyde to urea in the original reaction mixture must.. for successful spray drying, be controlled to give as little unreacted urea and formaldehyde in the nnal product as possible.

To speed the reaction, high temperatures mayA be used for short periods. In a. continuous synthesis process where it was possible to heat andA cool rapidly, dimethylolurea. synthesized success-V fully without noticeable resiniflcation using initial conditions of 80 C. for 20 minutes. Lower temperatures could be used for longer periods. Batchwise `synthesis under initial conditions of 65 C. for 1 hour was also successfully carried out to give a dimethylolurea solution which. after further treatment, could be spray-dried. Synthesis at lower temperatures for longer periods is preferred because the resulting product is more stalllel, but not because it can be spray-dried more rea y.

The solution of formaldehyde and urea is initialiy brought to the desired pH by the addition of i Formaldehyde/urea.

to a temperature below C. and preferably below 35 C. for at least 0.5 hour although it may be held below this temperature for up to about 20 hours and preferably 3 to 6 hours are used. This cooling results in a crystallization or separation of some of the dimethylolurea from the solution giving a slurry containing in the order of about 53% or more dimethylolurea. At the end of the crystallization the pH is adjusted to between 'l.0 and 7.5 and preferably to a pH of about '1.2 with an inorganic acid such, for example. as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, or the like. an 85% phosphoric acid solution is particularly recommended and the thus prepared slurry then spray-dried. This pH ad- .iustment is for improvement in the stability of the final product. In so far as spray-drying is concerned this adjustment is not essential.

-The distinguishing features of a spray-drier preferred for drying dimethylolurea is that all surfaces which the solid might contact are cooled below ca. 55 C. Higher temperatures ,than this areg'equired in the main body of the spray-tower in rder to remove all but a few percent (less than 5%) moisture. In the spray-tower where air now is stream-lined this may be accomplished by introducing cold air tal'igentially to the walls. In the ductwork where air flow is turbulent, suiiicient cold air may be mixed with the exhaust air from the tower to reduce the temperature below ca. 55 C. Ideally the temperature of the dimethylolurea does not rise even to 55 C. since the water is evaporated at the wet bulb temperature of the drying air (ca. 4045 C. under the conditions we used). In actual practice it is assaut l teristics auch as that'illustrated inthe;A accom-v panylng `drawing whereinfair is 'drawn through heating chest Iby means of hot 'airblower 2 and forced directly into the spray-drying chamber 3.' A rapidly'- rotating dislcsprayer '4 is provided at -the top `of this chamber: from' the 'disk la at the bottom. of which the slurry isY atomized into the chambenAuxiliary. cold air at a temperature below .about 35 is fed Ato the chamber from :cold air blower l. whichforcesjair through 4annular rings lgand 'lat the top and bottom of spray chamber 3.. Air `is, drawn from the chamber under the cone-shaped cap 8 through "conduit 3. A positive iiow'of air, from conduit l is provided by the coldairblower which by means of` a Venturi emat Oa'draws air from conduit i into the dust. collector I0 from which the air is vented through orince -I I. A discharge damper I2 is provided'at the bottom oi'- the spray-drying chamber lffor removal of the solids, while a fines bag I3 is provided at the bottom of the dust collector` Il.v

This spray-dryer operates by feeding the slurry prepared'as 'described aforesaid into the centrifugally operated dispersing device 4. From the rapidly rotating plate la which revolves at a rate of from' 5000l tol-30,000 R. P. M., the slurry is sprayed into the top of the chamber. As a vertical cylinder about the spraying device l and through the annulus Il hot air is blown directly against the dynamic sheet of dispersed slurry as it leaves the periphery of the rotating disk la. The

impingement oi' hot air with the sheet rapidly dries the slurry which drops downwardly through chamber 3 and contacts the cold air from annular rings 3 and l. The airis withdrawn as described through" conduit l. The dry particles of di result. The outstanding advantages of the apparatus reside in the direct contact of the hot airy from blower 2 againstthe dynamic sheet of slurry as it is sprayedirom the rotating disk 4a. It has been found. thatwith a hot air temperature betweenV 100 and 300 C. and preferably at about 200.? C. andan exhaust air temperature from the drier of between 60 and 90 C. preferably 10 CJ, excellent and eiiicient drying isA accomplished.

almost instantaneously. This apparatus'gives a moisture.

In addition to rapid drying of the slurry to a powder it is essential also that the surfaces that the product might contact operate at a sufliciently low temprature to prevent product from adhering. To eiiect this result the spray chamber is provided with cold air ducts which admit air to the spray-drying chamber through the annular openings 6 and 1. An especially eilicient and smooth operation of this device has been provided by so forming the annular openings at C and l that the air enters the chamber tangentially which results in a circulatory film of cold air insulating the vertical walls of the spraydrying chamber from the hot drying air. These features ofthe equipment play no small part in providing a commercially acceptable spray drying process for obtaining a dry stable dimethylolurea powder.

We claim: 1'. A process for the preparation of dry stable dimethyiolurea which comprises crystallizing dimethylolurea reaction products of formaldehyde and urea for at least 0.5 hour at a temperature from to 50 C. and thereafter subjecting the `resulting slurry t0 spray drying.

2. A process for the preparation of dry stable dimethylolurea which comprises forming an aqueous solution of dimethylolurea by reacting,

aldehyde to urea. being between 1.9 and 2.2, the

below about v C.

solution prior to the reaction being adjusted to apH between '7.0 and 9.0. thereafter crystallizing the reaction mixture while maintaining its pH between 'I and 9 at a temperature from 35 C. to

50 C. for at least 0.5 hour, subsequentlyspray drying the resulting slurry and immediately Y thereafter cooling the spray dried dimethylolurea.

3. A process for the preparation of dry stable dimethylolureay which comprises crystallizing a dimethylolurea reaction product of formaldehyde and urea at a pH between '7 and 9 for` from 0.5

to 20 hours at a temperature from 35 C. to 50, C.. thereafter subjecting the resulting slurry tospray dimethylolurea the steps which comprise crystallizing an aqueous solution of dimethylolurea adjusted to a pH between '7 and 9 at a temperature from 35 C. to 50 C. for between 0 .5 and 20 hours. and thereafter spray drying thejresulting slurry into a reaction zone wherein all surfaces contacting the dimethylolurea are cooled to a temperature below approximately55 C.

5. In a process for the preparation of dry stable dimethylolurea, the step which comprises preparing a slurry containing about 53% vdimethylolurea by crystallizingan aqueous solution thereof adjusted to a .pI-I between 7 and 9 at a,'t empera ture from 35 C. .to 50 C. for 0.5 to 20 hours and y thereafter spray -drying the resultingslurry by atomizing it into a zone wherein the sprayed 4product first comesinto direct contact with drying air at a temperature between 100 and. 300 C.

andl thedrying airis insulated from the. surface of the zone bya coldairlm at a temperature 6. In a process iorthe Vpreparation of dryfstable dimetlrvlolurea, the step which comprises. preparing a slurry containing about 53% dimethylproduct, under normal operating conditions; conolurea by crysallizing" an 'aqueous solution thereof adjusted to a pH'bet'ween 7 and 9 lat a .temperature from 35 C: to 50C. for 0.5 to 20 hours and, thereafter sprayv drying the resulting slurry by atomizing it into ai' zone wherein the sprayed product first comesinto direct contact 'with air at a temperature between and 300 C., all surfaces of the zone contacting the dimethylolurea being cooled to a temperature below approximately 55 C. q

'7.l A process for the-.preparation of dry stable dimethylolurea which comprises crystallizing dimethylolurea reaction products of formaldehyde and unes;-cclitaluln'less than about 3.7% by weight of unreacted formaldehyde for at least 0.5 hour at a temperature from 35 to 50 C.. thereafter subjecting the resulting slurry t9 spray drying and immediately thereafter cooling the spray dried dlmethylolurca.

8. A procesa'for the preparation of dry stable dimetlwlolurea which comprises cmtallizing dimethylolurea reaction products oi'iormaldehyde and urea. containing less than about 2.5% by weight ofv unreacted formaldehyde vfor at least 0.5 hour at a. temperature from 35 to 50 C., thereafter subjecting the resulting slurry to spray drying and immediately thereafter cooling the spray drleddimethylolurea.

9. Arpt-acess for the preparation oi! dry stable dimethylolurea which comprises forming 'an aqueous solution of dimethylolurea by reacting, at a temperature below 90 C.. urea with an aques formaldehyde to urea bein: between 1.9 aii'd 2.2.

REFERENCES mm The following references are of record in the file ofdthis patent: i

vSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,989,628 Bchmlhing Jan. 29, i935 2,140,561 Smidth Dee. 20. 1988 .2,187,877 Ferris Jan. 23. im

ous solution of formaldehyde. the'mol ratio o! m 3.321.544 Dittmar et al. June 8. 1943 

